Dottie Drake, Cruise Director

[Caroldoll]

Anyone have any comments on her?

[orchestrapal]

Anyone have any comments on her?

 

How about the search button. There have been several threads on her recently.

Most folks seem to like her.

[wiks]

We and our friends from the Houston have cruised with her about 6 times for close to 100 days total, and she is without a doubt our favorite CD.

 

WIKS

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Caroldoll]

I appreciate the help.

[MVPinBoynton]

We and our friends from the Houston have cruised with her about 6 times for close to 100 days total, and she is without a doubt our favorite CD.

 

WIKS

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

We will be meeting her in a couple days on the Regatta. Looking forward to her and here entertaining husband.

[neepawa]

Will she be on board in August for our Alaska cruise?

 

Cheers,

 

Don

[pacheco18]

She is the CD on Regatta for my Alaska cruise on June 7.

Perhaps she will be staying on.

[Caroldoll]

and she may be making a fast trip or maybe we can toss a coin!

[tanny18]

We have cruised with Dottie and Tom on about 6 cruises and she is THE BEST!! And runs a great Trivia!! You will surely enjoy her wittiness and warmth!! Arlene

Anyone have any comments on her?

[pacheco18]

Perhaps you should call Oceania, which is what I did.

 

My cruise documents listed Willie Aames (who has left) as CD so I called O and asked them to check the schedule. They told me Dottie would be CD. Could that info be wrong? Absolutely! And it is subject to change.

 

Maybe I'll call again tomorrow.

[Mjflowers]

Would somebody not book a particular cruise because of who or who not is the CD? :confused:

[pacheco18]

Would somebody not book a particular cruise because of who or who not is the CD? :confused:

 

No (at least not me) -- but for some of us the CD does affect our enjoyment -- especially those of us who play trivia. For example, when Nolan Dean was CD, I wanted to avoid him so no trivia for us. OTOH, if it's Leslie Jon -- we can't get to trivia fast enough.

 

It's not about whether or not we would book a cruise; it's more about knowing what we have to look forward to (or not).

[pacheco18]

The more I think about it the more I am convinced that the person I spoke to at Oceania may have confused Regatta with Riviera (both begin with R LOL) when she looked up the name of the CD. I had to give my reservation number (clearly sailing on the Regatta) and I thought i was clear about which sailing I was asking about but . . .

 

With all the departures of CDs I am sure there has been a lot of shifting of schedules which could lead to a bit of confusion.

 

I plan to call again this am.

[pacheco18]

and she may be making a fast trip or maybe we can toss a coin!

 

I just got off the phone with an Oceania rep again and told her about the "conflict."

 

We were both right

 

Dottie is "starting" the cruise on the Regatta on June 7 and then will be flown over to get on the Riviera on June 11. Her husband Tom is continuing as CD on the Regatta after her departure. At least that's the schedule for now.

 

Anyone know -- has Tom ever been a CD? I know he's supposed to be a great comedian.

[Mura]

I don't know if Tom has ever served as CD before but he is an entertaining comedian, and he's seen Dottie in action enough that I'm sure he has an excellent idea of how to do the job -- even if he hasn't done so before. That's an interesting concept! Maybe they are short on CDs with Aames' departure they may need to bring up the reserves ...

 

Mura

[pacheco18]

I don't know if Tom has ever served as CD before but he is an entertaining comedian, and he's seen Dottie in action enough that I'm sure he has an excellent idea of how to do the job -- even if he hasn't done so before. That's an interesting concept! Maybe they are short on CDs with Aames' departure they may need to bring up the reserves ...

 

Mura

 

Aames, Dean, Perez and David Peterson -- all have departed or will be departing soon.

Let the interviews begin!

 

Letterman and Leno are possibilities.

[Mura]

LOL at your suggestions for replacements.

 

I'm not doing to well when I try to envision them hosting Trivia, though ...

 

Mura

[LHT28]

They are accepting applications

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/corporate/employmentposition.aspx?id=4c667235-1470-4f98-8b57-8027e89ac8c5

 

Feel free to apply ...you get free cruises if accepted :D

[no fuss travel]

If you have Dottie for your CD, her Trivia usually includes the "ologies" as she calls them. For example fear of bees, sailing, needles and so on. She also does a question on a song which you have to sing as a group as the last question each time. She does a fair number of American sports, geography which favours the non-Americans which makes up for the sports. Some of her questions are really tough and her line is "You learn something new every day."

[Caroldoll]

So nice to have real answers since the Search button did not have new postings.

 

The clues are great.

 

I am sure her husband will do a great job since they have been together for a long time, evidently.

 

Oh yes, a good cruise director makes all the difference to me..although I would not cancel because of one I considered bad. The CD is the "face of the ship" and infectious warmth and welcoming does make a person feel really good.

 

A couple of the ones who have just left must be hurtful. I do hope they find really good new people.

[pacheco18]

LOL at your suggestions for replacements.

 

I'm not doing to well when I try to envision them hosting Trivia, though ...

 

Mura

 

No more trivia - Top 10

[LuAnn]

Why so many departing CDs? I will miss them all...except one I have never sailed with!!! With so few CDs in the pool...seems like a lot to lose at once!! LuAnn

[MVPinBoynton]

I'm on the Regatta now with Dottie; but she is using the name Dottie Kalusa rather than Drake. I wonder why.

[LHT28]

I'm on the Regatta now with Dottie; but she is using the name Dottie Kalusa rather than Drake. I wonder why.

 

She always uses that name ..maybe her professional name :confused:

[tanny18]

I'm on the Regatta now with Dottie; but she is using the name Dottie Kalusa rather than Drake. I wonder why.

"Because that's the name she has always used - her maiden name - Drake is her married name. I always knew her as Dottie Kalusa and just recently, it was listed as Drake. I guess Tom thought as long as they were married, she should use his name.:rolleyes:Arlene